A Place at the Table
by AstralMiscreant
Summary: Symbiosis between chefs in the cooking world meant that a common ground must be found in the kitchen in order for both to work in perfect harmony. With a common ideal in mind, Soma finds a special spark within his fellow chef, but is she ready for what he has in stored for her?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything and some information included within the following context may be subject to copyright, therefore I claim nothing if so.**

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 **Summary:** Symbiosis between chefs in the cooking world meant that a common ground must be found in order for both to work in perfect harmony. It called for growth, interdependence, and perhaps even something more than that?

 **Pairing:** Soma Yukihira, Ryoko Sakaki

 **Rating:** T (will go up to M in future chapters)

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 **Chapter 1: Prelude**

As night descended upon the city of Tokyo veiling the towering buildings in darkness, the bustling streets from the morning somehow seemed to come alive with a different scene. Buildings scintillated under the shrouded sky, coming alive in exchange with colorful lights and different sights and sounds.

It was a fast paced and buzzing scene with a myriad of night owls emerging from the deep, dark depths of their mundane mornings, while the husbands and wives settled back into their well-lit homes.

Tokyo was by far one of the most technologically advanced and metropolitan-like cities in the world during the mornings, but at night –a whole new side was revealed, a more vibrant side some would say.

But there were many aspects to Japan's revered shining city and it wasn't simply for the technology and urban atmosphere acting as some of the most integral components that made the city up as a whole, there was more to it than simply those aspects alone. One of the other most integral being that Tokyo housed some of the most elite fine dining restaurants in the world.

And Tokyo was indeed filled with a sparkling, glimmering, neon canopy of fast cars, bright lights and inebriated hedonists ready to get their fill – _of food that is._

Despite all this, Ryoko Sakaki had turned down the many offers she was given to work in some of its finest restaurants renowned throughout the city, _moreover the world._

She didn't want to work in the most snootiest institutions of haute cuisine in Japan, she was no "God-Tongue" Nakiri, no purebred chef bred to work in the most distinguished kitchen's of the world. Food was an art, yes, and she believed in this principle wholeheartedly, but to be frank, she didn't want to spend the rest of her career in some upscale kitchen that lacked in what she so desperately wished for, _intimacy_.

There was a certain level of intimacy she wished to achieve with her meals with dishes that catered to the customer's tastes and personality, haute cuisine couldn't do that. She wanted to be able to cook the way she could around the Polar Star dormitories, the way she could after spending so many years in a small fishing province in France. She yearned for that level of closeness between herself as a chef and her customers. That was what she believed cooking should be, to be able to share your art and please others.

She supposed she had gotten this silly idea stuck in her head after being surrounded with such good people for so long, Soma, Yuki, Megumi - those were only some of the few names that ingrained themselves in her memory and stood out through the test of time. Being a woman of Twenty-Four, budding chef, and artist Ryoko, had long since forgotten most of her adolescent years.

Although her memories in Totsuki, particularly in Polar Star, were some of the most beautiful ones she held thus far in this point of her life, Ryoko had exchanged that all for the new memories she possessed - ones that involved her many travels around the world seeking to discover new techniques in gastronomy.

Geneva, Switzerland was where she learned how to prepare a classic fondue and sophisticated raclette and where she later went to Crissier to train under the chefs at _Restaurant de L'Hôtel de Ville -_ a three-star Michelin rated restaurant _._ After a year and a half in Switzerland, Ryoko went to Saint Tropez in France, a village located in a small province in the southeastern region where she learned about French cuisine with a rural twist.

She worked as a saucier and poissonnier in one of St. Tropez's more upscale bistros, but kept close contact with the head chef Sophie Troisgros, of _La Vague d'Or_ , another three-star Michelin restaurant from her close ties with her last position in Crissier. Her time in St. Tropez was where some of her most fondest memories were made and being around the friendly locals for three years influenced her cooking style immensely. This is where she believed she took part of that intimacy she yearned for so dearly between meals. She wanted to bring a taste of that small southeastern province in France, even in Japan.

It had only been a month since she returned to Japan after all those years, and restaurants from all over Tokyo and even Kyoto had offered her a multitude of rewarding positions, yet, Ryoko was still at odds.

She wanted to reestablish herself as a chef in her beloved hometown, but she didn't want to do so in that way. She didn't want to obtain yet another impersonal position in some elite restaurant. Working in Switzerland gave her a bittersweet taste of what that was like and Ryoko realized that, that was what she didn't want at all. She had so many options to pick from upon her return to Japan, but she didn't know exactly what she wanted to do.

Her family's fermented goods shop was still running and her father had even begged her to come back to Nagasaki and prepare the koji dishes the shop was well-known for, however, the offer didn't seem to spark her interest either. Just the other day, she spoke to Yuki who also asked her to come to her newly established restaurant that specialized in game located in the Sumiredōri Shopping District where she could quote, _"Help me innovate some dishes after all those years prancing around in your fancy European restaurants"_ because she needed the inspiration or something of the sort.

But in truth, she believed that Yuki needed more of a support system rather than another hand of help since she was still on the first few steps of opening her restaurant. A big sister figure was what she needed, not a sous chef... And the offer itself hadn't sounded so bad either, thus Ryoko found herself juggling the idea in her head.

After almost a week of lounging around in the Totsuki resort for nearly a month now and doing absolutely nothing, Ryoko found herself on a taxi headed straight to that very shopping district in Sumire Town and finally in front of a trendy little eatery aptly named _Yukimono_ \- a pun on grilled dishes, yakimono. Upon seeing this, Ryoko chuckled to herself, Yuki was always a silly girl and the name was something she'd expect out of her.

Once she stepped into the threshold of the restaurant, she was greeted by a young and very pretty hostess, probably the same age as herself.

"Welcome, how many will you be seating? Or will you be dining alone today?" She greeted cheerily."Actually, I'm here to see the chef," she replied in a polite tone. "My name is Ryoko Sakaki, umm... Did Yuki-chan mention anything about me... Or if I'd be arriving this morning?"

"Oh! You're Ryoko-san? Yuki-sama has been waiting for you all morning!" The woman chirped. "Alright, I'll lead you to the kitchen. Follow me!"

The woman then proceeded to lead her down a narrow walkway of tables filled with people conversing lightly with each other and then towards the kitchen where she could see Yuki hustling and bustling around along with another cook through the window.

"Yuki!" She shouted amongst the kitchen conundrum and said woman's head shot up from plating a dish. Ryoko waved happily at her and Yuki dropped her utensils, seemingly stopping everything just to eagerly run towards her.

Ryoko was enveloped by a bone crushing hug courtesy of the head chef herself. "Oh kami, Ryoko-donno! I haven't seen you in forever!" She squealed in delight. "Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for coming out here to help me!"

Ryoko laughed in turn at the familiar term of endearment," Donno?" She questioned. "I thought we left those silly names back in our Polar Star days?"

 _"Why ever would we do that?"_ A new voice chimed in, startling Ryoko at the more masculine timbre it held. Her eyes quickly averted to the second figure in the kitchen, the other cook she failed to notice before she entered through the door.

He came up to his full towering height, from having been bending slightly to pick out a few spices from a drawer. His frame was well-built and lean and he was donning a black ensemble with a white apron wrapped around his waist. She looked up to see that the man's hair was a familiar shade of red and Ryoko's eyes widened at the sight of it.

"...Yukihira-kun, is that you?" She queried in a mixture of awe and bewilderment at how handsome he had grown since their academy days. He always possessed a boyish charm, but now his features had hardened a bit, giving him more of an angular jawline and prominent cheek bones.

"The one and only," Soma replied with an eye-blinding grin.

"I haven't seen you in ages!" Ryoko exclaimed, rushing towards him to throw her arms around his tall form. "Where have you been?"

"Oh, you know, here and there," he said vaguely.

Ryoko then turned to Yuki," You didn't tell me Soma-kun would be here! Had I known I would've brought a bottle of that champagne I told you I got at La Champs-Élysées for this little reunion you put together!"

"Figured you'd still be a drinker," Soma laughed as he continued to bustle around the kitchen. "From drinking rice malt in the Polar Star common room to popping bottles of France's finest champagne, now that's an upgrade for sure."

Yuki joined in with the laughter and soon, so did Ryoko. "So are you working for Yuki-chan too, Soma-kun?" She asked as her giggles died down.

"Nah, I'm just here for the same reason as you. Yuki-chan needed a little help in the kitchen since it is the week of her grand opening and all, so she called me up since my own restaurant is down the block," he said gesturing a thumb out towards who knows where.

"Business looks booming," Ryoko remarked as she peaked out of the kitchen window to see a nearly full house. People from all walks of life occupied the many tables that lined the restaurant's interior and it put a smile on her face to know that Yuki was doing successfully.

"I know, isn't it amazing?" Yuki gushed as she finally plated a few dishes only for them to be carried out by one of the servers running in and out of the kitchen.

"And you, Soma-kun, how's your restaurant?" She turned towards the man who was currently searing two steaks of rabbit cutlets on a pan with what seemed to be rosemary and butter.

"Business is doing great," he said without looking up," Resturant Yukihira has paved its way as a legend among the district!" He finished proudly.

"Yeah, it really has," Yuki gushed. "When I first came here to the district, I had tons and tons of the locals raving about Soma-kun's restaurant, so I went to check it out myself and my gosh, you should have seen it! It was a full house lemme tell ya, and there was even a long waiting list. It's crazy!"

"Now, then why aren't you there attending to your restaurant?"

"Like I said, I came here to give Yuki-chan a hand. I closed up shop early for today," he shrugged in response.

"Alrighty then, I should be helping too," Ryoko's voice took a more stoic tone as her countenance switched dramatically. The more professional side of her began to kick in as she watched her other two fellow chefs running around the kitchen. "What do you want me to do?" She asked Yuki as she made her way towards the sink and promptly rolled her sleeves up before washing her hands.

"There's a pile of order receipts up on the window. I know you're a seasoned chef and my dishes range in the more simple side as of right now, so I'm positive you can help prepare some... And also, they may or may not be some that you're very familiar with," Yuki said with a knowing wink as she pointed towards the line of orders before going back to continue on concentrating on her own work.

"Slow-Roasted lamb in a rich miso glaze?" She read out loud as she picked the small script up while simultaneously throwing a clean apron on. She was surprised to find that Yuki opted on a more Western-style take on her dishes and she found herself even more surprised at the fact that most, if not all, of the dishes on the menu were dishes that she helped Yuki experiment with and create back in their Academy days.

"The lamb racks have already been curing in the storage, just grab them," Yuki supplied.

She nodded her head before making her way towards the cooler where she grabbed the lamb, chicken stock, miso paste, and blue cheese as the recipe called for. Ryoko pulled out one of the stainless steel skillets that hung on the ceiling and heated up one of the stovetops before pouring the fresh chicken stock into the sauce pan all in one swift movement. She felt someone brush up behind her and quickly turned, only to find Soma gazing down at her with a quizzical expression.

"Do you want me to the heat the oil up for the lamb to smoke point while you make the sauce?" He asked.

"Yes please, that would be great," she replied before returning to the pan to whip up a quick miso glaze. She idly reached toward her side to grab the miso paste and a hand had reflexively shot up to place the container in her own hand.

"Thanks," she called out, impressed at how efficient Soma was at multitasking with his own dish and heating her oil, all the while acting as her de-facto sous chef. She remembered how well they worked together when she helped him prepare a perfect bento for the preliminary rounds of the main tournament in their first year all those years ago and her heart swelled slightly at the memory.

She whisked the glaze until all the mirin, soy sauce, and cheese was fully incorporated and put the burner on low-heat to allow it to simmer for a minute. Quickly now, she turned to find the grapeseed oil just at the peak of smoke point and the lamb racks already cut in precise chops courtesy of Soma. The man in question was busying himself with his own devices and was chopping up some vegetables.

She smiled before placing the racks on the skillet, fat side down, to sear for five minutes. The sauce had finished and Ryoko switched the burner off before hurriedly walking towards the window to pick up another order. "Panko encrusted rabbit filet stuffed with a ginger, soy, and red pepper purée," she read to herself before smiling," Aww, that was the recipe Yuki and I improvised for Chapelle-sensei's rabbit dish challenge back in our third year..."

When she returned, she found the lamb racks already browned on both sides and waiting to be placed in the oven. Knowing it was Soma's doing yet again, she thanked him before quickly preparing the next dish.

They continued on like this, with Soma lending a hand with her dishes and vice versa, all in a symbiotic rhythm as the two chefs reveled in their natural habitat, where beautiful creations were being made and issued out for customers to enjoy. The kitchen was where Ryoko felt most at home and she had a feeling that Soma felt the same way too, maybe even more so than herself.

At the end of the day, when all three chefs including some of the staff were closing up shop, Soma remained in the kitchen and asked Ryoko to stay as well, while Yuki bid the last remaining customers a personal farewell. The two chefs were now lounging around the kitchen after having cleaned up with the help of the kitchen boy.

"We make a pretty good team, huh Yukihira-kun?" Ryoko beamed as she nudged him on the side. Memories of the two working side by side in Polar Star's very own kitchen resonated within her mind as she said this and she smiled at the thought.

"Yeah, we do," he grinned back. "Remember when you helped me out on perfecting my evolved nori bento for the preliminary rounds of the Main Tournament our first year?"

"Of course I do! You beat out Alice Nakiri's dish, now that was a competition to remember."

"Yeah, that was one of the most memorable shokugeki's I've had throughout my academy career I might add -" he paused "- you really helped me out you know... When you broke down Alice's cooking style for me."

"Well, you did help me perfect a few of my own dishes after that especially in our third year too. Remember when I was trying to find a new way to prepare my Soy-Sauce Shiokōji? That was the same sauce I used for my own dish in the preliminary rounds of the Main Tournament during our first year. Ever since you helped me perfect it, I've been using the same recipe for all the dishes I incorporate it in even through my travels in Europe!"

"You used your Soy-Sauce Shiokōji in some of your dishes in Europe?" He queried.

"Yeah, back when I worked in Switzerland, the head chef of _L'Hôtel de Ville_ made me improvise a traditional Swiss dish with a Japanese twist. I used the Shiokōji as a base for a veal dish I made and paired it with some rice, it was a hit."

"Hmm, that's innovative... I like that you incorporated two cultures together - I've been experimenting myself, with a fusion of Japanese and Thai cuisine and a whole lot of other cultures back in Yukihira. You should come over one day and give it a try!"

"That's an interesting mix. I definitely want to see you work in your own kitchen... So, I'm guessing you went off to travel the world to learn new gastronomic techniques as well Soma-kun?"

"Of course I did," he laughed.

"So what did you find in your travels?" She questioned, wanting to gain more knowledge on the methods he learned. From the small glimpse of seemingly endless talent he showcased today in the kitchen and all those years before back in their academy days, she wanted to gauge his skill and hear from the mind of the genius himself. He was only twenty-four years old and cooked with a talent on par with some of the most well-renowned and elite chefs of the industry. Loathe to admit it, he had far surpassed her by miles, even more than that. His technique, his form, the way he was able to combine different ingredients to all harmonize together in one dish was a sight to behold.

"I started off in Vietnam and developed a more refined form in grilling, then I went to China to learn more about frying and braising cured meats, Indonesia was my next stop, after that it was Thailand - now that's where I spent my most time at. They had this special way of fusing oriental cuisine with more tropical ingredients and the flavors they came out with were out of this world!" He sighed dreamily. "I realized then that I wanted to assimilate all different forms of Asian cooking methods into one type. That's how I was able to rebuild Yukihira from the ground up, I've been experimenting with new dishes ever since and I've still got so much more to learn."

"You always were ambitious," she remarked. "Hmm, but wait... Didn't you...?" Her voice trailed off as she idly tapped her chin.

"Didn't I what?"

"I've heard of you back when I was still working in Geneva...some of my colleagues over there were talking about you... Hey, weren't you working in _The French Laundry_ back in the U.S.?"

"I was, yeah, but that was right after I left Totsuki. I learned a lot about French-American contemporary cuisine in Napa. And in America there are so many cultures coming together, especially in the state I was living in, California - diversity was everywhere! I befriended a Vietnamese chef who ran an illegal underground restaurant, you should've seen it! These guys were preparing fine dining in their home and setting up the whole place, it gave me a glimpse of how raw a chef's work space conditions could be. The chef himself inspired me to go off to Vietnam to return to the root of things and that's when I started traveling around Asia."

"Wow, that's amazing Soma-kun... You have to show me some of the new things you've learned!"

"Sure, just come by my restaurant tomorrow and..." He began before an inquisitive look crossed his features. "Actually, you know what?"

"What?" She queried, arching her brow.

"We haven't eaten all day. Why don't I take you back to Yukihira and cook you something up? I'm starving too..."

"Alright! I'll go tell Yuki then..." Ryoko replied happily as she ambled towards the kitchen door.

Suddenly, the woman in question popped up from behind the window leading to the dining room. "Tell me what?" Yuki asked casually.

"Oh, I think Soma-kun and I are going to head down the street to Yukihira," Ryoko chirped. "Wanna come with?"

"Ummm... I'd rather we just..." Soma's voice trailed off and a perturbed look crossed his face.

Yuki glanced over at him and gave him a pointed look, before smirking," Nah, it's alright. I have to close down properly anyway. You two go ahead without me." This exchange however, went past Ryoko's attention as she instead decided to choose that time to check the time.

"If you say so," Ryoko shrugged before following Soma out the door.

It was a bit chilly when they walked outside, being that it was nearing midnight and Ryoko cursed herself for not coming with proper attire. Soma, noticing this, slipped off his black long sleeved shirt revealing another shirt under it, before passing the long sleeved one to her. "Here, you look cold," he said as he eyed her shivering form. With a quickly murmured thanks she took his proffered shirt and slipped it on. She had been clutching her arms and had wrapped them tightly around herself. She then blushed in embarrassment realizing that it made her already large bust protrude even more from her shirt. However, she never noticed how long his eyes had lingered on her...

He lead her down a few blocks until they made it towards a modern looking restaurant building. "Here we are!" He exclaimed as he gestured out towards the building," Welcome to Restaurant Yukihara 2.0."

"It's nice," she said honestly as she marveled at the quaint exterior. He managed to make such a small space into an upscale bistro, it was commendable.

He fished in his pockets and procured a small golden key before opening the doors and switching the lights on. The inside was sparsely furnished, but in a very minimalistic and elegant way, with a set of linen-clothed tables with candles and a bouquet of white chrysanthemums acting as center pieces that littered the space of the interior. "Thanks. I got the idea from that underground restaurant I told you about back in Napa. It was sparse, but in an oddly sophisticated way and I wanted to capture that same setting for Yukihira." And sophisticated it was.

"You really put some thought into everything you did, it's amazing..." She gushed as she scanned around the interior.

"Here," he said as he ushered her towards a table and pulled a chair out for her. "Stay put and wait for just a moment, Ryoko-chan. I'll be back with a meal in no time!"

She nodded and obediently sat on her perch. Usually, the more inquisitive side of Ryoko would've taken the better part of her and she would've trailed after Soma to watch him cook or help even, but for some odd reason, she felt obliged to sit out and obey his orders to wait.

And just as he said, Soma returned only fifteen minutes later with two steaming bowls. He presented both of them on the table before promptly sitting himself across her. "I call this Yukihira-style Matsutake and Truffle Gohan," he said proudly before handing her a pair of chopsticks. "Since it's Autumn and all, I've purchased some fresh matsutake mushrooms from my produce vendor. I wanted to try and capture the taste of autumn but add a twist to it by incorporating truffle oil with the matsutake. The egg also has a mixture of mitsuba and sudachi to boost the level of umami and harmonize with the delicate flavor of the mushrooms."

Ryoko eyed it hungrily, enticed by the fragrant aroma of the gohan, and smiled," It looks delicious. Itadakimasu!"

One bite and she was immediately lost in its flavor, words could not express how delicious the simple rice bowl was. That was always Soma's specialty, turning seemingly simple dishes into complex and flavorful masterpieces - and with the unique fusion of flavor, she couldn't help but think how much skill went into the preparation of the dish itself. Of all her years in Switzerland, France, and even around Japan, Ryoko had never experienced a dish that could wow her like this.

She looked up to see Soma smirking at her with his arms crossed. "You like it?"

"It's- It's marvelous! I can't get over how well the mushroom and egg blend together in a unique harmony. It's light, delicate, but also rich from the egg. Different flavors all come together and assimilate into an all-new remarkable one - from the delicate fragrance of the mushrooms, to the richness of the eggs, to the freshness of the mitsuba, and the tartness of the sudachi... It's brilliant, simply put!" she beamed. "... And is that a hint of dashi I taste?

"Yeah, it is! I'm surprised you detected it. Either way, I'm glad you liked it," he replied before digging into his own bowl. "...However, I feel like it's missing something...?" He finished before taking another bite.

"Well the flavors are all there, it's simple, yet refined...Though _it is_ lacking in any meat component... I think this dish stands alone with simply the mushroom and egg. The mitsuba adds depth to the matsutake being that it is a very fresh herb, while the sudachi also compliments the freshness by adding a more citrusy touch. And.." Ryoko mused before Soma had interjected.

"That's it!"

"That's... W-What?" She questioned in obvious confusion.

"You're a genius Ryoko-chan! That's what I was missing!" He said again. "I was missing... a meat component!"

"I mean, it doesn't necessarily need it. The dish itself is perfect on its own and it could stand alone as a strictly vegetarian dish too since..."

"I know, but I feel like I need to add that extra depth of flavor only meat can give - maybe I could add in chicken? It's light and tender, not too heavy... Enough to compliment the fresh and delicate flavors... And I think that's what I used in one of my older dishes from the past, what was it called again? Oh! The _Transforming Furrikake Gohan!_ I remember now..." The man began to ramble on.

"Actually, yeah... if you do add chicken, it would indeed add a new depth of flavor to it... But, texture wise, I feel like it may obstruct or otherwise change the whole palate altogether if you do," Ryoko supplied as she began to ponder his words.

"That's a valid point, so how would I go about adding it?"

"Well, have you ever dabbled in molecular gastronomy?...What I propose you can do is distill the flavor essence of the chicken, sort of like capturing the richness of it much like the way bouillon does... But suppose, you boil a broth, strain it, and freeze it below temperature at negative ten degrees Celsius right at the exact moment you make the broth. That way, you distill the flavor to its full potential, without the extra salt. It'd be perfect!"

"Wow, Ryoko-chan that's an amazing idea! Where'd you learn about molecular gastronomy? I've only heard of it myself, but never really tried to do it," he said in awe.

"Back in Switzerland, one of the chefs I worked with used to work in a restaurant in the U.S. That specialized in molecular gastronomy, it was called _Alinea_. The way they would create their food was through various methods of science and they made it into an art form! It was playful and a true mark of ingenuity, so of course I had her teach me a few tricks!"

Soma gazed at her for a long time and she felt as if the air in the room had suddenly become thick. His face was placid, yet contemplative at the same time from the odd twinkle his golden eyes had held at that very moment and his lips were also pursed and formed into a very thin line of concentration. He looked to be thinking about something. But that look he gave... It was so intense and almost raw, it caused shivers to go down her spine at how fixed his eyes were on her. It was utterly arousing, yet extremely intimidating. Ryoko, in all her life, had never felt so small.

Finally Soma moved to make his mouth open and the words came tumbling out all in one breath. "You should work with me in Yukihira!" It sounded more like a command rather than a suggestion.

"B-But..." Ryoko was at loss for words. _He actually wanted her?_

"Before you protest, hear me out," he said, putting a finger to her lips. "Did you see what just happened? We clicked! Our collective minds clicked when it came to the dish I prepared... You deciphered every ingredient I used and analyzed each of its importance to the dish as a whole, and then... I had a problem and you proposed a solution, a very, very clever solution! I mean, _molecular gastronomy,_ who would've thought? I need that brilliance, that ingenuity that you can offer to my dishes Ryoko-chan - especially since you have a vast knowledge of methods that I could use at my disposal. You're brilliant Ryoko-chan, utterly brilliant!"

Ryoko blushed at his words. Being complimented by a true genius was nothing to take lightly and it gave her a sense of validation, as if to say that, _yes_ , she was a truly brilliant chef. Of course she would never be on par with Soma or most of the elite chefs of the world, but she knew for a fact that she did possess an arsenal of unconventional cooking methods that in conjunction with the right technique, would be a monster in it of itself. And Soma was just the right chef to test such talent and technique with her own vast knowledge. With their combined efforts, they could create something new, something beautiful. She could imagine it now, their food would ascend all forms of conventionality, it would become pure, refined art. And with the added benefit of working in a small and very intimate setting such as Yukihira, how could she not accept his offer? This was what she wanted, to be able to provide art in the form of food in an intimate way. This was it.

He gestured his hand out for her to shake on it, for her to cast all inhibitions away and make a choice. To _him,_ it would be the mark of a new partnership and to _her_ , it would be a way of signifying something special even beyond her comprehension. With one last thought, Ryoko tossed it all away - all her worries, her insecurities, and above all, her complacency. She took his hand in hers and firmly shook it.

"I'll do it," she affirmed.

And that had signified the blossoming of something beautiful, something more than that even - of a partnership more meaningful than any of them could ever imagine...

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 **Author's Note:** Hi all! I wrote this because I genuinely believe that my girl Ryoko needs some lovin too! If you're reading this, I hope that all the cooking information and food preparation aspects of the story weren't too bothersome for you to read. I simply incorporated them since cooking and food are the most integral parts of Shokugeki no Souma, and I add _emphasis_ on how integral they are. Some of the restaurants mentioned within the story that were italicized are actually real Michelin-starred restaurants and the cooking terms are real as well. Oh, and the underground restaurant I mentioned was an actual thing and you can look up a video of it on the Vice YouTube channel! I wanted this story to be as realistic, yet unrealistic and over-the-top and flashy as the anime itself, so some of the things mentioned may or may not come off as contrived or otherwise - and I'm sorry! In pertains to the stuff mentioned, that is the courtesy of watching way too many food documentaries and cooking shows lol! Extensive research was also made for this fic as well.

Any questions or comments? Please leave a lovely little review down below and I would be eager to read it! Thanks for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything and some information included within the following context may be subject to copyright, therefore I claim nothing if so.**

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 **Chapter Two: Settle Down**

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"So you're telling me, that you up and left France, rejected all those offers at Tokyo, and decided to just work at a special-of-the-day restaurant, _a diner_ , in a little known shopping district instead?" A very feminine, almost haughty voice with a noticeably French accent gasped through the wire.

Ryoko sat lounging on her bed nestled inside the bedroom of her newly rented out apartment, phone in hand, with a very bored expression plastered on her face as she fiddled with her phone.

"Yeah, you should know by now that those fussy elite kitchens aren't really my thing anymore, Sophie..." Ryoko sighed.

"But a diner? At least a cafe, bistro, anything but... A diner? Ryo have you gone mad?"

"I assure you Soph, that I am perfectly fine working where I am and you know what? I just started last week. I'm actually working under one of my old colleagues from Totsuki, his name is Soma Yukihira - great guy, you should meet him. I met him my first year in Totsuki and he later became one of my closest friends..."

"Let me guess, one of those people who shared that Polar Star dorm with you, right? ... Although, his name does sound a bit familiar... I feel like I've heard it somewhere..." Sophie's voice trailed off.

"Yep! And let me tell you, he's a genius, a literal, bonafide, genius - the epitome of a world class chef in all honesty! He's traveled everywhere and found a way to make his cuisine with a fusion of different cultures from all over the world. Food at Yukihira shouldn't be considered small scale diner level to be honest, it totally ascends it but maintains its own air of simplicity! And I had the honor of reconnecting with him a month after I returned to Japan when my old best friend from Totsuki asked me to help out at her restaurant's grand opening. He was there and we cooked together and really connected, both creatively and artistically speaking. He's one of, if not the most talented chefs I know..."

"Hey! What about me?" The other woman interjected.

Ryoko smirked and pressed on, completely ignoring her and said,"... _Anyways_ , he asked me if I could work in his restaurant with him as his sous chef, so I agreed. I mean, Restaurant Yukihira is really amazing, seven days in and I already love it to death - from the kitchen, the atmosphere, and the people. Sure it's a diamond in the rough, but a diamond nonetheless. The dishes Soma creates are out of this world, I can't even explain it and... I swear, everything's just such a breath of fresh air for me! It's so much more different from living in the coast of St. Tropez and cooking in the bistro. I know it might sound strange, but I honestly think it might just beat working in _La Vague d'Or_ too," Ryoko teased.

"You take that back! _La Vague_ is an institution where the most refined cuisine is made. Art and the flavors of true French cuisine are encapsulated within each and every thing that comes out of there! How dare you shame my restaurant!" Sophie huffed in feigned indignation.

Ryoko laughed at this, hearing her best friend's playful banter was nothing short of new by now.

Sophie Troisgros was the half Japanese, half French head chef of _La Vague d'Or_ -one of France's many and St. Tropez's only Michelin starred haute cuisine restaurants where Ryoko had come to frequent during her time in St. Tropez. She met Sophie through her connections in Switzerland and upon meeting the French powerhouse chef, the two had immediately connected due to their similar Japanese heritage and simply because they were both women in a predominately male-lead industry.

Not often did you find a head chef of a three-star Michelin French restaurant that was not fully French, but a woman to top it off. Therefore, Sophie was a monster (because she had to be) in the industry, a full-blown world class artist who had to work her ass off to get where she was especially from the inherent tribulations that stood in her path, such as the fact that she was of mixed heritage, born in the lower slums of France, and above all, _a woman._

Ryoko admired her for that, simply because she was a chef who had no hand-outs given to her, no ways of securing a position through nepotism much like most of the chefs in the industry today. She shared a similar story to Ryoko and thus, they empathized with one another.

In addition to that, Sophie had helped influence some of Ryoko's choices in preparation methods especially when it came to classic dishes. Ryoko could wholeheartedly admit that she was a classic girl at heart and Sophie helped supplement her love for all things classic cuisine related.

"So, do you really like it there? I mean you could always return to St. Tropez otherwise, we'll welcome you with open arms," Sophie suggested almost hopefully.

"Honestly, Soph, I think staying here is the best thing I should do for now... Intuitively speaking," Ryoko sighed happily. " I love it here, I love everything."

"So, about this Soma guy, is he treating you right?"

"Umm... Yeah, I guess?" Ryoko replied, not truly comprehending Sophie's connotations. "He's great to work with and the pay is pretty good too...?"

"No, I meant, is he _treating_ you right?" Sophie repeated with extra enunciation.

"Like I said he -" and then it clicked in Ryoko's mind, _Sophie was insinuating that._..

"Hey! Just because I'm raving about him a lot doesn't mean there's anything going on! Quit jumping to conclusions! I just appreciate talent where it's deserved, okay?" she barked.

"Well, I don't know..." Sophie said slyly. "You don't often praise or even comment on any other chef's aptitude besides me and you didn't even talk much about your last boss who so happens to also be the head chef of Switzerland's most lauded restaurant, mind you."

"...I mean...Sure, Monsieur Savoy was a great chef and all, but he didn't quite capture my undivided attention, much less praise. I did respect him a whole lot though, minding a Michelin rated restaurant, a three star one, not even a two star, and attempting to secure a spot in the top for a consecutive amount of years is no mere feet and I understand that... But, he didn't have that spark, that quintessential something that just makes you stand out as a chef... But Soma - that guy just embodies it plain and simple."

"Well, I'd like to meet this Yukihira man myself just to see the man who somehow makes Chef Savoy pale in comparison!" Sophie joked.

"Fat chance, you're restaurant can't survive without its head chef! You're hands are full on this one," Ryoko countered.

"Maybe so, but someday I might just go to Tokyo... You never know."

They both laughed at this.

"...Alright, well, I gotta go now Soph, it's getting a little late," Ryoko yawned before checking her watch. She crawled over towards the corner of her bed to peak out of the curtains only to find an inky sky. "Yup, it's late already..."

"Oh, alright then. I'm not going to withhold you from getting your precious beauty sleep," Sophie laughed. "Goodnight. Call me tomorrow, alright?"

"Yeah, I will, I promise. Night," Ryoko finished before ending the call.

She sighed before falling to the sheets, her eyes gazed at the ceiling, all white and monotonous, and then she began to idly look around at everything and anything. Her bedroom was spacious, considering her whole apartment had only one room. The apartment itself was sparsely furnished having been only recently renovated upon Ryoko's official move-in. There was a small hall leading out of her room and towards the living room and kitchen. She decorated it fit to her old home back in St. Tropez, thus her apartment may or may not have resembled the typical French Country style.

Anyway, she liked the humbly rustic, yet elegant style that was synonymous to the classic name - it was nice, really, and quite easy for her to replicate. It took her only a week to fully decorate, stock, and proof her official home altogether and it had also been approximately two weeks since she moved in after having purchased the flat during the week of Yukimono's grand opening.

After Yuki was sufficiently prepared with everything and no longer required her assistance, Ryoko began to work with Soma. The man himself was the one who helped her house hunt in the first place and it so happened to turn out that Soma lived in the same building as her. He even dropped by from time to time spontaneously and after spending so much time with him, she remembered why she liked the man just as much as she did back in their days in the academy, he was such a friendly guy.

She stood up from her bed now and sauntered towards her closet to throw some decent clothes on, ones that didn't include a scantily clad night gown like the one she was wearing now.

In truth, she was supposed to be heading out to meet with Soma in his apartment about something to do with "brainstorming on some new improvements for Yukihira and its dishes," but she knew that this was his own off-handed attempt to try to hang out.

However, she really wished she didn't have to lie to Sophie that she was going to bed, but had she not, she knew Sophie would spend the rest of the night talking her ear off. Ryoko silently promised herself to make it up to her best friend some other time...

With one last look in the mirror to check herself after having thrown on a simple black long sleeve and some jeans, Ryoko grabbed her keys and silently crept out of the door so as not to disturb her neighbors. To her own misfortune, the walls within the complex were quite thin, so she often had to walk in silence during this time of the night.

She ambled down the corridor and about five doors down lay the Yukihira household. Ryoko paused for a moment in front of his door and with a light hand, knocked three times.

"Hang on, I'll be there in a second!" She could hear his muffled voice through the door then a series of crashes could be heard right after until finally the door swung open. "Yo. Come inside!" He said gesturing her through the threshold.

"Heard a ruckus, I hope you didn't hurt yourself," she commented as she stepped inside and slipped her shoes off. Her Amber eyes scanned around his apartment noting nothing but neat and minimalistic decor akin to the same simplicity of his restaurant. This wasn't her first time in his home, but it always felt like it was for some odd reason.

"I bumped into a box that was near the couch, that was probably the noise. There's no damage," he said cheekily before ushering her towards the den. She nestled into the leather cushions of his couch and leaned into it casually eyeing his tall frame retreating into the kitchen.

Moments later, he came back with a bottle of sake and two saucers. "So I see you're wondering what the box's for..." He said without looking up from pouring their drinks.

Ryoko, startled, hadn't realized that she was staring intently at the boxes themselves.

"Well, they're -" he passed her a saucer full of the sweet rice wine "- actually stuff my old man sent me from wherever the hell he's currently at as of now, can't seem to stop moving from place to place that man..."

"Oh? well how is Yukihira-san?" She questioned as she threw back her wine with a familiar and practiced ease.

"Well, for starters, he's doing fine. He can't seem to understand the meaning of retirement though... He's always ending up in different restaurants, I've lost count to be honest. But he called me yesterday and told me that he was sending some stuff over, stuff for the restaurant that he collected throughout his travels."

"Oh, that's nice. Has he thought about ever returning to Japan?"

"Eventually, but my old man's still kicking, so he'll do anything to prevent himself from settling down. Ever since mom died, he's been more of a drifter," Soma shrugged.

"...Oh... I'm sorry...I..." Ryoko's voice trailed off at loss for words to respond to Soma's comments about his mother. How could he so casually speak of her death?

"What, about my mom? Nah, I honestly don't mind anymore," he said dismissively. "I got over it."

She threw back another saucer of sake to help stifle the awkwardness she felt over the topic of his deceased mother. She knew things would've only got worse if she kept babbling on about who knows what. That was partly the reason why she drank so often in the first place, it helped improve her socializing skills.

"This sake is good," she said moving it back and forth against her tongue, trying to change the subject. "I get the clarity of cold mountain air... It's sweet with notes of white peaches and has a somewhat dry finish... Very full-bodied, but balanced at the same time...Was it brewed in the Chubu region?"

"You have a pretty accurate palate, Ryoko-chan," Soma chuckled. "It's actually Isojiman sake and it's specially brewed in Chubu."

"Oh, but this is so expensive!" Ryoko gasped feeling embarrassed at having downed nearly half the bottle as if it were simply cheap grocery store wine.

"Yeah, it was one of my special bottles that I was saving for a long time. I felt like you might've been a bit of a wine snob...er, I mean connoisseur, y'know since you've always had a thing for your drinks and all. So, I popped it open for tonight!"

"Oh, I feel terrible for drinking almost all of the bottle! I'm sorry!"

"What the hell're you apologizing for? Quit apologizing, will you? I clearly picked it for a reason," he said in mild admonishment, but a grin was still tugging at the corners of his lips.

"I don't know why I'm apologizing, just uhh... quick just give me another fill and I'll be better in no time," Ryoko laughed.

He happily obliged and refilled her saucer," Hey wanna go check out what my old man gave me?" He questioned and it made her heart swell when she saw how hopeful his eyes looked - like a child asking to show someone their most prized possession.

She cursed herself internally and the sake mostly before nodding her head in agreement and following him towards the stack of boxes behind the couch.

He dragged them towards the middle of the room before procuring a thin blade from his pocket and proceeded to cut them open. After peeling away enough cardboard for the box's contents to be seen, he pulled out what seemed to be a large metal suitcase. "The hell is this for?" He murmured.

"Just open it Soma-kun, I wanna see what's inside!" She urged while scooting closer to him and placing her hands on his shoulders while looking over them without realizing it. He stiffened under her touch, but this went unnoticed by her being that Ryoko was already past being sober.

On her part, for all she knew, was that the man next to her was so warm and the chill of Autumn was getting the best of her senses, therefore she decided she wanted to get closer to that source of heat that he emanated so generously. And his scent was...

"Alright then," he said as he began to unlatch the locks of the suitcase, breaking Ryoko out of her reverie. Upon opening the suitcase, both were met with the sight of two very sharp kitchen knives scintillating under the dim shade of the lamp light. Soma gently picked the first one up to study it.

It was a sharpened three dimensional blade with a pagoda tree handle. The craftsmanship to the knife was outstanding, resulting in a Damascus pattern that swirled down to its polished edges and shone so brightly even under the dim light. "Wow," Ryoko breathed out as she marveled at the knife.

"This is a white steel Wa-Gyuto knife," Soma muttered in an awe almost edging onto disbelief. "This-This is a **Tsukasa White Steel Kurochi Damascus Wa-Gyuto**! It was handcrafted by one of the most talented blacksmiths in all of Japan, _Tsukasa Hinoura..._ Oh Kami, this is... This is expensive as hell!"

"It sure looks expensive..." Ryoko said in agreement.

"This kitchen knife is one of the most sharpest blades in the world! And-And do you see that swirling pattern on its flat surface? That's a Damascus pattern, that type of steel proves to be unbreakable! This knife is a fine quality blade... I can't even explain how... I mean this is a 300,000 yen knife...!"

"How about the other knife?" She questioned as she pointed towards the suitcase.

"Oh...?" His attention diverted towards the second knife and he gently set the wa-gyuto down. He leaned forward to pick up the other knife and Ryoko leaned in with him and this time, she actually felt him stiffen and a blush rose to her cheeks. She reflexively pulled back with a light squeal. "Sorry!" She slurred as she tried to hold back a giggle.

"It's...okay..." He said in slow deliberate words, trying to refocus his attention on the other knife. Ryoko crawled towards the table to pour herself another saucer full of sake, she decided to make a game of it with herself: drink another shot every time you do something stupid... and then some - just in case.

He pulled out the other knife, a more long and sleek blade in comparison to the Tsukasa one. "Wow... Now this... This is a **Yanagi-style knife** ," he murmured and she scooted closer to catch a glimpse of the stunning blade. "It was made in Sakai, it was handcrafted by _Yoshihiro Mizuyaki_...I mean what the hell? These knives were respectively created by some of Japan's most mastered craftsmen... I can't...Look at this, Ryoko-chan, the pattern of the blade is supposed to depict a full moon over Mt. Fuji - I've only heard of it from stories and seeing it in real life is freakin' crazy! Now this is worth 700,000 yen!"

"Did your father seriously just gift you some of the most expensive blades in the world like nothing?" Ryoko mused.

"How the hell did my old man even get ahold of these? When he said he had some stuff for Yukihira, I didn't think he was going to hand me some world class kitchen knives... This is wild."

"Yukihira-san is such a nice guy, my dad would never give me something like this! I'm jealous Soma-kun!" She continued. "...Wait! Look there's a note at the bottom of the case." Ryoko said before gingerly pulling the little sheet of paper out of the bottom and passing it to him.

He picked the paper out of her hands and she reflexively shot back as his fingers brushed against hers. She gave him a soft smile before scooting away from him in chagrin. Currently, there was a myriad of dirty thoughts flashing within her mind and she was screaming internally as she tried with all her might to suppress these thoughts. _Alcohol really was her vice..._

"So...uh, what does it say Soma-kun? I mean, never mind... I don't want to pry. I'll just -"

He threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Ryoko-chan, I honestly don't mind, I was gonna read it out loud anyway..."

"Well, what does it say?" She questioned scrambling towards him in hopes to get a glimpse of the note. Much to her dismay, even though alcohol was a great way to improve her social skills, it caused her natural inquisitiveness to spike ten fold - which often times resulted in bad results, very bad results.

He chuckled before reading it out loud. "Soma, I hope you find these knives to be of great help in Yukihira. I've had these in my possession for quite a long time and never sought to use them since. Don't ask where I got them." Soma laughed at this "- I thought they would be more useful for you instead -" Soma paused for a painfully long minute. "- and in regards to the other matter we discussed before...my advice is this and only this, the secret to becoming a good chef is meeting a woman that will make you want to give all the food you make to her and..."

Ryoko watched in amusement as the man flushed before quickly and very angrily stuffing the note into his pant pocket. "Uhh... Sorry... That was..." He began.

"Aww that was so sweet Soma-kun! You're father sounds just like mine, he says that every time he brings up the topic of grandkids!"

"Yours too, huh?"

"Yep, he thinks that by this age, I should be popping out some kids like how they did during their time. Honestly, these geezers don't understand that the modern-day Japanese woman never settles down same goes for the guys out there too! I'm focusing on my career and other important things, not babies!" she said with conviction.

"...Yeah, but, do you... Uh, think you'll ever have any?" Soma questioned.

"Fat chance! I'm not a mother-hen type, sorry, I like the idea of staying in the kitchen and working there for the rest of my life... B-But y'know... not in that deluded misogynistic way that most housewives and mothers are stereotyped to be. The domestic life is not for me!" This was another downfall to alcohol, Ryoko tended to get a little too intense when it came to conversing about her opinions.

"That's understandable," Soma said slowly. "Have you always felt that way?"

"Actually nah, when I was teenager, I used to dream about being a bride. I wanted to get married and live in a beautiful house out of the city with my husband... And then we'd have some kids and all that crap... But ever since I graduated Totsuki and went abroad to Switzerland and then France, I realized that that kind of life is bogus. So instead, I decided to focus on bettering myself in my career!"

"Really? I mean cooking is my life, yeah, but I still plan on having a family of my own. I don't think it would really deter me from my goals! That is, if you compartmentalize your career and your real life."

"But don't you see? Food is already a huge part of your life too, how could you possibly do that?"

"Well, I'm still thinking of having a family regardless... I want to have a son who I could teach just the way my old man did for me!" He laughed before slapping the ground and shaking his head as if it were the funniest thing on earth.

Ryoko laughed at this, a little too hard maybe. "Good luck with that!"

"Just wait I'll be having a whole Yukihira brood! They'll be running around the restaurant too!"

"Well, cheers to that!" Ryoko beamed before pouring both of them another drink.

"Yeah -" he took the proffered saucer "- Cheers!"

They downed their drinks simultaneously and both began to laugh for reasons beyond them. When the laughter did die down again, they decided to drink a little more.

"So how was life like back in Europe? Must be significant since it really changed your views and shit," Soma questioned in genuine curiosity as he leaned closer towards her.

"Switzerland was nice, the people were welcoming and in Geneva, where I first stayed, it was seriously a city of luxury! I mean, did ya' know that it's one of the most expensive cities in the world? I mean besides London or Dubai and all that... The city is a literal global presence, you got the UN headquarters situated over there and all these other factions of the the UN itself, Red Cross, World Health... And with all those extremely important diplomatic heads, came the need for restaurants that could suit their tastes.

I later went to Crissier and worked in _L'Hôtel de Ville -_ one of my first Michelin restaurant gigs. It was nice there and I learned so much. In Switzerland, there are so much opportunities everywhere you go, thus, it was a great place to get a new foundation and lots and lots of exposure to the _real_ culinary industry - Totsuki could only show us so much and things are different when you're actually working in a real commercial kitchen, you should know..."

"Yeah, true," he agreed.

"Well, anyways, France, on the other hand, was a different story. I stayed in St. Tropez, a beautiful town located off the coast and in the Southeastern region of France. It was a dream! Thailand to _you_ was St. Tropez to _me_. It's where I learned different techniques and where I learned how to work in a much more different environment. I realized there, that I loved cooking in small scale areas. I'll tell you now, I'm not really fond of cooking in upscale and super elite kitchens, Switzerland taught me that. In St. Tropez, I realized that I wanted a more intimate way of delivering my food. I wanted to be able to share my art and cater to my customer's tastes at the same time, you know?"

"Of course I know! Why do you think I rebuilt Yukihira? That _intimacy was_ the same thing I wanted, as a chef, too. Looks like we share one thing in common," he said softly as leaned closer to her. He stared at her with a very intense look on his countenance and she stood their frozen like a statue.

"Yeah..."

In one fluid motion, his arm shot out towards her back to grab the suitcase that was behind her. "Man, I can't wait to put these babies to work!" Soma remarked with a new enthusiasm as he reached out to hold one of the knives again.

"Must slice and dice like a dream..." Ryoko sighed dreamily at him before taking another shot and passing one to Soma who happily downed it. He drank another one for good measure and she could sense that by now, he was past being sober too.

"Of course! I heard that... this right here," he slurred pointing to the Yanagi knife. "Is said to be so freakin' sharp, that it could cut a piece of hair in half... N-Now that's a sharp as hell!"

"Oh, I can't wait to see you wield em' tomorrow Soma-kun! I want to see those in action!"

He gave the most overdramatic look of disbelief, with his golden eyes squinting, brows knitted together, and mouth pursed as if he just ate something sour. To this, Ryoko shrunk a little under his gaze. She silently prayed that he didn't suddenly hate her because the drinks in her system told her otherwise.

"W-What're you talking about? You'll be using em' too! They're not just mine, they're _ours._ "

"Seriously?" She queried in disbelief. "...That's-That's awesome! I can't believe you're... You're too good for me Soma-kun, ya' really are! I could kiss you right now!"

"Damn straight I am! You work in Yukihira too ya' know! Of course you'll be using these knives, you're supposed to be my sous, my _other half!_ "

Ryoko flushed and tucked her hair behind her ears," T-Thank you Soma-kun. I appreciate it, I really do!"

"No problem!" He half shouted whilst patting her on the back. "I asked ya' to work with me for a reason and damn sure will treat you like my equal just the way pops did to me! That means you get access to everything in the kitchen, ya' hear? Now let's toast to that!"

She poured another drink for the both of them, finally emptying it out of its contents. "Cheers!" She grinned before bringing her cup out to him.

"Cheers!" He shouted as he clinked his saucer on her own before pouring it down his throat. "This stuff really is great!"

"Yeah and thanks for letting me drink with you! This sake is superb and I appreciate the way you took my tastes into consideration and went out of your way," Ryoko muttered as she leaned closer towards him.

"No problem! It's the least I could do for my _better-half!"_ he replied jubilantly, the alcohol taking over. "You're something special Ryoko-chan! We really make a great team!"

Ryoko paused for a moment and smiled, the words just sounded so nice in her head, _better-half_ , now that was just the icing on the cake. "Am I?" She queried under half-lidded eyes, a sultry tone taking over her words.

She leaned forward and grabbed his collar, gazing at him with an intense look. To this Soma could only grin doltishly, confused, but happy nonetheless.

Ryoko was now barely an inch away from his face and a lascivious smile was etched on her visage.

"I think..." she whispered slowly.

"...Think what?" He sighed in contentment with that same oblivious smile on his face as she began to thread her fingers through his hair.

"I think we should..." and then she yawned, a deep roaring yawn before pulling away and letting her hands fall limply to her sides. She began to sway back and forth and Soma had to scramble up to support her. "We should -" and then she knocked out cold, her body slumping on his before finishing her last sentence.

"We should...? We should what?" Soma questioned in confusion as he stared wide eyed at the now blissfully sleeping form of the beautiful woman lying cold on his lap. Light snores soon began to emit from her pursed pink lips and she wrapped an arm around his waist.

 _We should what?_

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Haha, sorry I had to end it like that! I tried to capture a bit of the cinematography that went into Shougeki no Souma - you know what I'm talking about - those ending when it's supposed to be serious, but someone ends up doing something silly and the music just cues and the credits start to roll in right after!Anyways, again sorry for getting technical with the terms like the knife types and all that, I hope it didn't bother! To answer some of your questions - And yeah, I have taken some classes in a culinary program, haha! Hopefully chapters get shorter because when I start writing, I sometimes forget to stop! And thank you, thank you, thank you all so much for taking your time to read my fic and for even leaving me your lovely little reviews! You guys are seriously THE BEST!

Anyways, any questions, comments? Or if you simply wanna drop another lovely little review, I will be eager to read it! Love you guys!


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything and some information included within the following context may be subject to copyright, therefore I claim nothing if so.**

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 **Chapter Three: The Gentleman Approach**

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The sun glimmered down with small vestiges of light filtering through the windows, veiling Ryoko's sleeping form. Subconsciously, her eyes shifted under her hooded eyelids as she rested, dreaming away about some withering memory of herself in a kitchen as per usual of her innermost thoughts.

Not being able to handle the brightness any longer, her eyes flew wide open. Ryoko yawned as she stretched herself out mimicking that of a cat waking up after lazing around for so long.

Distantly, she heard the faint melody of birds twittering outside of the window and coupled with the warm glow of sunlight filtering through the curtains, Ryoko was pleased to say that, for once, she had woken up contently - compared to her usual morning ritual of irately rolling out of bed and continuing on during the early hours of the morning in a sleep-filled daze.

Today was different. And Ryoko liked different, relished in it even.

As she gathered her wits, however, she noticed something quite off with the setting before her. Really off. For one, this was not her bed and this was not her room. In fact, it was quite a change from her lavender quilts and oaken bed post that she had become so accustomed to with her French townhouse decor.

This was not the pretty pastels, white rose bouquets, or the pleasant fragrant sheets courtesy of her special bottle of vintage Givenchy _L`Interdit_ that she often spritzed on her sheets before she slept.

No, this was someone else's room.

A dark homage to minimalist and modernist decor's lovechild with black walls, dark wood finishes, and a black bed covered with dark, navy blue satin sheets was what met her eyes. Save for what little sunlight that scintillated through the cracked-open windows that surrounded the walls, the room was completely monotone giving it an air of sterility. This was a man's room, she believed. _But not just any man's room..._ This must be...

Ryoko clutched at her head desperately trying to piece together what little remnants of memory she had of last night involving lots and lots of sake, rare kitchen knives, and... and _Soma_.

"Shit," she mumbled to herself as her tongue clicked on the roof of her mouth - a trait she inherited from her mother when she was either distressed or miffed, but most likely, both.

And indeed was she both.

Her eyes frantically searched the room for the man in question, but he was nowhere in sight. Picking herself up now, with much ease and, surprisingly enough, a practiced amount of grace, Ryoko stood up and quickly smoothed the sheets over before quickly strutting, no, _running_ out of the room.

With no hangover at all, to which she silently praised herself for, she promptly went on a mad dash searching for Soma in his surprisingly large apartment. She finally turned a corner and located the kitchen whilst also discovering the man himself busily making breakfast.

"Uhh..." Ryoko began, at loss for words as she strode in slowly with hesitant steps.

The adrenaline that once pumped through her veins had seemingly vanished, leaving her timid once more in light of her current situation.

She was in someone _else's_ house after having _slept_ in the house, and to top it all off, it had to be her boss' house. Of all the luck Ryoko once possessed, this was what the powers that be left her with, how pathetic...

"Morning," he said lightly as he waved his hand nonchalantly with his back facing her while he bustled over the kitchen counter.

"Morning..." She replied weakly, still having not fully gathered her wits, much less voice. "I... Um..?"

"You knocked out after having too much sake," he laughed. "I mean literally, you were in mid-sentence before you just yawned and straight up knocked out right on top of me!"

"Crap... Really?" A light blush had suddenly tinted her cheeks as she flushed in pure, unadulterated embarrassment.

"Yup, you were all mumbling and stuff talking about, see, now I don't even remember..." He shrugged to himself as he ambled towards the refrigerator to pull out a carton of eggs, a slab of cheese, tomatoes on the vine, and... was that a field mushroom?

"I pray that I didn't say anything that would make my mother blush or my ancestors roll in their graves... Right?" She questioned hesitantly praying to the powers that be that she behaved herself last night.

She was aware that she tended to get a tad bit lascivious when a bit of alcohol went in her and knowing that Soma was indeed an attractive man, she would not doubt it if she tried to put the moves on him. _Oh kami..._

"Nah, don't worry. You didn't, at least I don't think so or... even remember for that matter. You just knocked out."

Ryoko inwardly relaxed at this.

"And so... I'm guessing you carried me off to your bed?"

"Mhm."

"You didn't...? We didn't... Sleep together in the same bed did we?!" She questioned half in curiosity but mostly in alarm at the thought.

"Of course not!" He spluttered, almost slicing his finger as he was in the midst of slicing some back bone bacon in the process, _almost_. "I slept on the couch."

Her eyes widened in surprised and a small smile appeared on her visage. "Really? That was very gentlemanly of you, thank you."

Ryoko was beaming at the thought of Soma actually sacrificing his bed for her, and he even slept on the couch - that poor man!

"Yeah, heh, gentlemanly... Of course... Uh, you're welcome..." Soma laughed nervously in reply as he continued to slice some bacon.

* * *

(Flashback)

"I think..." Ryoko slurred as she swayed side to side inching closer to him.

Soma stared at her happily, though the picture of contentment, internally the man was a complete mess barely able to fully grasp the myriad thoughts that ran haphazardly through his mind courtesy of the sake.

On one hand, he was wondering about what on earth Ryoko-chan was currently babbling on about and on the other hand, he was wondering if it was a good idea to make some food at the moment - because his stomach was thoroughly convincing him that, _yes,_ a hot bowl of chaliapin steak and pickled umeboshi rice is exactly _what_ you need right now.

"I think we should..." Ryoko continued and Soma continued to stare at her, internally groaning, but still the picture of control with a feigned lazy smile on his face.

She was still talking wasn't she? She was such a pretty girl, she really was, especially when she spoke, but right now, his withering attention was more interested in food and most importantly, more interested in not hearing her blab away. Maybe if he replied, then she'd shut up and just let them both share this moment of drunken peace and allow him to actually collect his thoughts.

What was he thinking about earlier? Oh, that's right, he wanted a bowl of steak and rice and... He forgot again.

"...Think what?" He replied absentmindedly, still trying to remember what the hell he was thinking about just a minute ago.

"We should..." _Oh no, she's still talking._

Maybe if he just made some food for them, then she'd keep quiet. Food always shuts people up and if he made them food maybe they could...

But before he knew it, the woman had slumped over and promptly knocked out right on top of him!

"We should..? We should what?" Soma echoed back in confusion - _man was she a talker!_

He gazed at Ryoko's sleeping form with eyes as wide as saucers, still in a confused haze from the alcohol that was eating away at his attention span and temporarily interested at watching her peaceful countenance snoring lightly in deep slumber.

"Oh well..." He murmured to himself.

To this, the man shrugged while simultaneously shrugging off the sleeping woman to stand up and brush himself off. She slumped to the floor with a loud thud stopping him in his tracks. Ryoko was sprawled on the floor, limbs askew with her long hair splayed across her face - she looked like a mess, but a nice one, in an odd way he concluded.

"Aww, man, I can't just leave her there..." He said to himself.

He contemplated lightly with his fist under his chin, still preoccupied with the thought of food, before grabbing her by the legs and lightly tossing her into the couch, but not without a great deal of effort on his part.

"There!" He smiled happily to himself as he rubbed his hands together. "That couch should be enough."

After all, he had just purchased that custom foliage recliner sofa courtesy of that one American fashion designer he met in New York after he catered for his Fall/Winter show afterparty two years ago - what was his name... _Rick Owens_ or something?

The man had emailed him and told him that he was dabbling in furniture and wanted Soma to personally be one of the first people to try his work.

Regardless, that couch now served as his new bed from its sheer comfiness despite the fact that he had a perfectly sufficient bed in his Master's bedroom - it was like sleeping on clouds and he wouldn't mind doing that right about now... His stomach growled, reminding him that he was hungrier than he thought.

"Well, first things first..." He said aloud.

With one last glance at the woman on his couch, he nodded to himself in satisfaction, he believed that Ryoko, even in her unconscious state, would greatly appreciate the fact that he allowed her to nap on his glorious couch out of the goodness of his heart.

Soma leisurely strolled towards the kitchen, eager to prepare something worth drinking all that alcohol for. He burped and chuckled to himself as he lightly hit himself on the chest, he had way too much sake. "Let's see... What did I want again?" He was voicing his thoughts out loud again.

"Oh, that's right, I wanted some steak!" The chef beamed wanting to pat himself on the back in congratulations for remembering.

After his filling meal, Soma strolled out of the kitchen with a beer in hand after his conscious convinced him that a bottle of some of Sapporo's finest dry ale would somehow help sober him up. At least he thought.

Taking in a large swig, the man walked around his apartment, still in a vain attempt to cure his inebriated state before passing the living room and spotting an unconscious body slumped on his couch.

"Aww, crap," he mumbled to himself as he swallowed another gulp of beer. "I almost forgot!"

He set his bottle on the coffee table before slipping his arms under her and attempting to pull her up into his arms.

"Damn, she's heavier than I thought," he cried out and his eyes trailed down to her bust. "Must be cause' of those," he finished pointedly.

After a good ten minutes of trying to pick her up in vain, Soma finally gave up.

Contrary to popular belief, although Soma had the appearance of a lean and well-built body, he couldn't lift a weight to save his life. So instead, Soma decided to figure out a better and most of all, more effective plan because, even though he was nice enough to let Ryoko nap on his couch for a bit, he was not that nice enough to let her sleep there all night - that was his comfy couch dammit!

Five minutes and ten more failed attempts later, Soma was dragging a still snoring Ryoko down the hall with a great deal of effort.

"For such a skinny girl, you're damn heavy," he wheezed as he continued to lazily tug her around.

He finally made it towards the master's bedroom and abruptly dropped her legs in order for him to be able to open the door. Flicking the lights on, he grabbed her by the ankles once more, and continued to drag her across the room.

"Gee, you're a heavy sleeper, aren't ya?" He slurred at her.

When he made it towards the edge of the bed he let go of her legs once more and propped her in a sitting position against the side of the bed. Kneeling now, he used his shoulders, along with most of his upper body strength (or what little he had) to heave her up on the bed, dumping her on it altogether. "Sorry, Ryoko-chan, but I'm not about to let you sleep on my comfy ass couch, the bed'll have to do. Have fun with that shitty backache you'll be dealing with tomorrow!" He laughed with a quick wave of his hand.

(End of flashback)

* * *

Soma sweatdropped at the memory,"Well, y'know I didn't want you to sleep on that uncomfortable couch. What kind of guy would I be to let you do that? A complete asshole that's what."

"Yeah," she agreed with a slight nod in understanding. "Although, I kinda have a sore back. Must've slept in a weird position..." To this, Soma winced.

Ryoko hurriedly sat herself down on the kitchen dining table and fixed herself into a more comfortable position. "Anyways, what's for breakfast?"she questioned quickly, trying to change the subject.

"Well, to combat this killer hangover we're both having..." He began.

"Oh, yeah, definitely! Worst hangover ever," Ryoko lied as she tossed her hand over her head in feigned pain.

"...I decided, why not have a hearty breakfast?" Soma finished.

"Umm... So, what did you have in mind?"

"A traditional English breakfast! It's seriously one of the heaviest I've ever encountered, but desperate times, call for desperate measures. We need some food to soak up all that alcohol in our systems."

"An English breakfast? Really? The best culinary achievement that's came out of there these past few centuries is the fish and chips!" Ryoko laughed in disdain.

"Heh, that's you're snooty French culinary upbringing talking, Ryoko-chan," Soma replied smugly. "Trust me, the British can actually make a damn good breakfast if you ask me."

She arched a quizzical brow before finally acquiescing. "Alright, I'll be the judge of that... But first off, why don't I help you? It's the least I can do after making you put up with sleeping on the couch."

Soma winced once more before dropping his knife, _the crazy expensive one that seriously cut like a dream that he had received just last night_ , and smiled at her. "Sure, why not? You could start by peeling the mushrooms."

"So, this breakfast includes field mushrooms?" She questioned as she busied herself with gently ripping off the skin of the mushroom heads with her fingers. "I'm guessing you're going to roast these since field mushrooms like these tend to get quite leathery if the skin is left on, am I correct?"

"Correct," Soma replied before tossing the bacon slabs onto a grill that was already heating. He then went off to the side to mix a bowl of already mashed potatoes that he had prepared earlier on with a few greens.

"So, what's that? A croquet? Mashed potatoes, green onions, leeks, and cabbage is something I've never thought to associate with breakfast," Ryoko continued as she placed the mushrooms flat side down onto a tray and drizzled them with olive oil and added a pat of butter on top.

"Not exactly, but the English call it _bubble and squeak_. It's essentially a potato patty or pancake if you will - which is why I understand why you'd think it's a croquet. Traditionally, they simply leave it at that, y'know, with the potatoes, cabbages, and all that other good stuff, right? However, I took the liberty of adding some grated Gouda just for some nuttiness," he replied as he took the crisped bacon off the grill and tossed the patties onto the hot grease.

"What's great about the bacon fat is that you can use it to cook the potatoes, it adds a depth of flavor from the saltiness of the bacon without having to add any extra spices to the patties -" he then went to the fridge and pulled out a bowl of what seemed to be baked beans "- Could you add some thyme onto the mushrooms? It's in the fridge, just gently rip the sprigs. While you're at it, place the tomatoes next to the mushrooms please."

"On the vine?" She questioned.

"On the vine," he affirmed.

"Well, I've just been doing everything impromptu as of now and I'm guessing it'd be best to drizzle some olive oil on the tomatoes too and pop the tray in a pre-heated oven at...hmm, say, two hundred degrees Celsius?"

"You got that right, champ," he laughed. "Totally read my mind."

Ryoko smiled and did just that before ambling back next to him and wiping her hands on a clean towel. "So, what now, chef?"

"I already pre-made some sausages, they're pretty herby, perfect for a heavy traditional English breakfast. I learned how to make em' from this cook I knew in Cumberland. Mind if you fry four of them until they're thoroughly browned?"

"Yes, chef!" Ryoko replied as she took a steel skillet from off the wire that hung on the kitchen ceiling and turned the burner on. Her gaze trailed off to Soma only to see that he had finished cooking the potatoes and was already plating them alongside the already cooked mushrooms, tomatoes, and bacon.

Once she finally took the last sausage out the skillet, Soma had quickly cracked two eggs onto the still-hot pan. "Cook these for me, will you?" He smiled before walking back to the counter to finish off whatever he had been doing, which was from what she could tell, was mixing the baked beans with what seemed to be a dash of Worcestershire sauce and chopped parsley.

"Eggs are done!" She called out and he placed a half-plated dish next to her indicating for her to place the eggs on.

She eyed the plate curiously, there were potato and cabbage patties, roasted meadow mushrooms with thyme and butter, roasted tomatoes on the vine, baked beans with parsley, and meats - lots and lots of it. To top it all off, Soma managed to plate all the different items together to look beautiful, which was saying something since they had a lot to work with.

With one last quizzical once-over, Ryoko decided to place the eggs right next to the tomatoes to balance out the plethora of colors on each plate and because the eggs and meat were much heavier than the tomatoes and mushroom therefore making it contrast heavily in comparison to the much lighter components of the palate. She didn't want to ruin the harmony of colors and aromas already created by the chef himself.

By now, they both sat themselves down on the dining table with a hot plate in each hand and a cup of warm ginseng tea to calm their upset stomachs and promptly dug in.

"Wow, I would've never seen the day of me actually enjoying an English breakfast. And it was so simple, no technique needed!" Ryoko beamed after swallowing a mouthful of egg and potatoes. "I gotta tell Soph, she'd make a riot out of this."

"Soph?" He questioned.

"Oh? That's my, uh, best friend back in St. Tropez, Sophie. She's the head chef of _La Vague d'Or_ \- one of St. Tropez's only Michelin starred restaurants - she's all about the superiority of French haute cuisine, so you could only imagine what she'd have to say about anything British."

Soma laughed at this.

"And yeah, I'll concede, the traditional English breakfast is nothing short of phenomenal. Soma-kun, you were right."

"Damn straight I was!" Soma agreed. "But I gotta hand it to you, you plated the last _piece de resistance_ right where I would've, totally maintaining the balance."

"Thank you, I didn't think you would notice the egg."

"Of course I did! Why'd you think I made you plate it lastly anyways? No, my dear sous chef, this was no mere coincidence, I actually wanted to give you a little test," he said smugly.

"A test?"

"Yup, a test."

She took another bite of her food, savoring it, before gulping down a bit of her tea. "So... Did I um, pass?"

"Yup."

Ryoko smiled at this before taking another bite.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** Hope you enjoyed this new chapter! This one is my failed attempt at incorporating a little humor into this story while also diffusing a little of the fast-paced romance a few of you guys were complaining about - sorry about that anyway! Also, this was the first time that I've ever employed a flashback sequence since I always had the misconception of it being cheesy and played out, however, with this story, I thought it was fitting.

Please leave a lovely little review whether or not you loved it or hated it! I LOVE hearing feedback! Thanks again for tuning in. Until next time.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own anything and some information included within the following context may be subject to copyright, therefore I claim nothing if so.

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Avant Garde**

* * *

Ryoko ambled down the serene streets of the Sumire Shopping District, with a brown bag in hand, while idly perusing what the many vendors and food shops had to offer. However, there wasn't much, since it was early in the morning right in the cusp of dawn where most owner's were busily opening up shop. Before heading to her own destination, that being the shopping district's legendary restaurant Yukihira, she had decided that a nice cup of the Sumire local tea shop's energizing ginseng tea and a sweet matcha roll would suffice as her morning breakfast. Already had she stopped by _Yukimono_ to pay her best friend a visit and she had also met with a visiting produce vendor who came all the way from France to sell her some black truffles that she now nestled closely in her arm.

Finally making it towards her destination, Ryoko went around the back to open the door. Unsurprisingly, the owner and chef of the restaurant himself was already up and prepping the kitchen for the breakfast and later the notorious lunch rush.

"Good morning chef!" Ryoko greeted cheerfully while she set the paper bag on top of the kitchen chopping station. "Guess what?"

"Morning Ryoko-chan," he replied with a smile as he looked up from de-boning a mackerel cutlet to store until lunch. "And what?"

"I got a surprise for you!" She said eagerly as she strode towards him with the bag in her hand. "Look inside!"

He paused for a moment before nodding his head. "Alright," he grumbled before setting his knife down and washing his hands.

"Actually, no! Wait, don't, no peaking yet! Just close your eyes and smell what's in the bag!"

He gave her skeptical look and furrowed his brows," This better not be a prank like last time or so help me Ryoko, I will increase your hours for next week!"

"Pssh... Like I need a set amount of hours, Yukihira-kun, I'm always staying up til' the mornings helping you with the restaurant -" she tossed her long red hair over her shoulder "- and besides, I promise you'll like it!

"Fine," the man acquiesced with a slight frown, still a bit traumatized from the last "prank" that both she and Yuki had pulled on him involving a mysterious paper bag,he shuddered at the thought before closing his eyes and sniffing lightly at the bag.

Whatever that bag had, it sure smelled complex. He got a whiff of something nutty, along with something reminiscent of wet earth after it would rain and seep into the ground, almost musky, with the saccharine tartness of strawberries, and was that a hint of pepper and cocoa? His eyes immediately flew open at the pleasant aroma and he eagerly rolled down the paper to reveal its contents, _could it be?_

"No way!" He beamed. "No freaking way!"

"Yep."

He looked at her with elation that could easily be compared to a child thrust into a candy store and then back to the bag, then back to her, and again, back to the bag. "How the hell did you manage to get truffles? In Japan?"

"A friend of mine who also used to serve as the produce vendor for the previous bistro I worked at in France decided to travel down here to Japan. He called me up and told me he was selling truffles that he just cultivated from _Dordogne_ , you know, since it's Autumn and all."

"...Wait... How much did you spend?"

"Well, they may or may not have sold for 120,000 yen per kilo... Maybe," Ryoko said nervously.

"Aww, c'mon Ryoko-chan! I told you, you don't have to buy ingredients from out of your pocket, especially expensive ones like that!" He said rubbing at his temples in admonishment.

" _But I want to_ , and I know you'll put them to good use...some way or another," she reasoned. "Now wrap those in a towel and pop em' in the storage!"

"Fine, fine," he said with a dismissive wave before promptly following orders.

When he came back, Ryoko was already prepped with her hair tied up, an apron around her waist, and her hands washed. "So, chef, what's the special for today?"

"Well, I -" he said putting his finger up as if having an idea. Then suddenly, his face fell. "No, no. I'm tired of this." He was shaking his head now.

"W-Wait, tired? Tired of me? I'm -I'm sorry, did I do anything to -"

"No, Ryoko-chan, it's not you. It's definitely not you. It's just..."

"Just what?"

Soma made a grim expression as he wiped his hands on a clean towel causing her to worry. He didn't answer her for awhile, only gazed out the kitchen window and beyond towards the dining area. She gingerly placed her hand on his shoulder, in attempts to coax him into speaking. "Is everything alright, Soma-kun?"

"Y'know," he said slowly and she could tell from the contorted expression on his countenance that he was carefully trying to pick his words. "I... Had a dream last night..."

"A dream? Must be a peculiar one to get you all riled up like that."

"Yup, a dream."

"About what?"

"I... dreamt that Yukihira wasn't just some special-of-the-day diner, y'know? It was, it was bigger than that," he said with a lamentable pride. "I dreamt that it was world-renowned, with people from all walks of life coming into Yukihira just to get a taste of my food. And we had this whole spread, a tasting menu each week based on different cuisine and culture and sometimes even fusion... It was great, really... But..." He stopped short with his head bowing slightly.

"But?"

"That's not what dad meant for Yukihira to be... He wanted it to be simple, much like the way it is now. I feel inclined to honor his wishes and stick to tradition..."

Ryoko clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth before saying,"Who says we have to stick to tradition? Soma, do you hear yourself? This is what you're about, this is what _we're_ about - innovation! You found a way to assimilate different cultures and tastes into your cuisine and, you know, I'm just here to help you out on different methods in gastronomy theory to put to practice. We're a team, remember?" Ryoko fumed in disbelief. Soma was brilliant, utterly brilliant, but where was his mind right now?

"I know, but maybe this district's not ready for what I have to offer. Maybe that's why dad chose to make it a diner, I mean isn't that what the people want?"

"Soma-kun, you and I both know how important intimacy between the chef and customers is. And I know, I know, you want to please the customers, I really do, but -"

"But, isn't that the point?"

"No, no, let me finish," she sighed as she held a finger to his lips. "But as a chef, we are artistic beings, we have to find a way to compartmentalize the idea of pleasing the customer and pleasing ourselves. We put our heart and soul into our dishes, they are merely a manifestation of all the ideas that are constantly buzzing in our heads. Our food is the way we express ourselves and dammit, your cooking is sure as hell a testament to how brilliantly you can express yourself."

"Thanks, I appreciate the sentiment, but -"

"Did you forget our goal? We wanted to change the face of the culinary arts, moreover, the culinary world! Don't let tradition keep you stagnant, if you dreamt Yukihira in that way, then it should be that way. You don't have to adhere to your father's rules, though I will admit the genius he may be. Let's break some conventional norms, let's innovate, discover new methods, new tastes, but most of all, let's cook the way you intended your food to be made. Honestly, you don't need me to tell you this, because you really are a maverick in the kitchen, you are, and I'm only here to help nourish all that creativity stuck in your brain. Get your mind out of this rut, make that dream come true. Be _avant garde!"_

Soma smiled at her and banged his fist on the counter with a newfound determination. "You know what? Fuck it. What the hell, let's do it!"

"Yeah?"

"Mhm, and you know what? Why don't we show this district something different for a change," he replied.

"Okay, so...? Should we experiment with a tasting menu todayor...?" She questioned excitedly trying to gather her bearings, she loved it when Soma agreed with her!

"Yeah -" Soma untied his apron and quickly strode towards the front door of the restaurant and switched the open sign to closed "- Yukihira's closed for today! Instead, today's all about experimenting!"

"Alright!" Ryoko said with zeal. "Let's do this!"

"But first..." He put his hand up to halt her.

"What?"

"A trip to the farmer's market. I think it's time we go out to buy some new ingredients to work with."

"Yes, chef!" She nodded.

He went off to his office connected to the kitchen to grab his keys, but before doing this, he turned to Ryoko. "Nice pep talk by the way, two-in-one yo, I didn't think I'd get a sous-chef and motivational speaker when I roped you in this business!"

"You're welcome," she smiled.

* * *

Two hours and a full storage of ingredients later, the chef and his sous chef were now hovering over the restaurant kitchen counters with Soma busily preparing a plethora of vegetables and Ryoko hastily scribbling down ideas on a notepad.

"So, have any ideas for a theme, chef?" The sous chef questioned while chewing on the tip of her pen in a contemplative manner.

"I'm thinking a fusion. Let's start off from there," he replied before pulling out a vegetable peeler from one of the drawers.

"Alright fusion..." She reiterated, jotting more words down. "How about... Hmm, no, not sure if that would harmonize right. Or maybe...no, scratch that..."

"So, what was your position in the kitchen you worked in before back in France, Ryoko-chan?" He asked in idle conversation still rinsing off a few vegetables.

"Well, I was the saucier and poissonier since, you know, I've always had a knack for fermentation and all of the technicalities that went with it..."

"Oh, that's right, you were the 'Queen of Fermenting' back in Tōtsuki, weren't you?"

"Hey, let's not bring back those silly names please!"

"Alright, fine with me," he put his hands up in defense.

"So, anyways, why the sudden interest in my old position?" She queried.

"Well, let's start off there, right after the fusion theme. You're adept at concocting sauces and working with all things seafood - try finding a way to incorporate that into the foundation of the meal, I suppose."

"Alright then -" she scrunched her face before her eyes lit up in revelation "- Why not a French and Korean fusion? I'm thinking something on the line of familiarity and outlandish, the familiar aspect would be Korean cuisine since it has become sort of a staple here in Japan and the unfamiliar would be French... And also because most, if not everything, I know revolves around French cuisine and a little Korean because they use a lot of fermentation in their cooking too. Unfortunately, I haven't broadened my scope, so I don't know much else."

"Good. I like where this is going... I'm thinking something with a little seafood and a little pork, something like a surf and turf perhaps?"

"Ooh! And we can have an _Amuse Bouche_ to start things off!"

"A what?" Soma looked at her perplexedly and then she remembered that Soma never really had a good grasp on the technicalities of haute cuisine, a trait she remembered he always possessed even back in their academy days. He was more of a man of action, not fundamentals, bookwork was never his forte - cooking, however, and actually applying methods was where he excelled in.

"Well, an _amuse bouche_ is basically a bite-sized hors d'oeuvre, or teaser if you will since it's roughly translated in French as a 'mouth amuser.' It's not necessarily an appetizer, it just shows a small glimpse of what the chef's menu has to offer." She eyed him curiously. "Wait, shouldn't you know a little bit about French cuisine since you worked at _The French Laundry_ back in the U.S.?"

"Well, French-American contemporary is way different from actual, traditional haute cuisine, so no. And also, you know, I've always just went with the flow and kind of ignored all the fancy terms. I just love to cook, my instinct is what solely got me by these past years," he shrugged.

"Ahh, I see."

"So, anyways, what do you have in mind for this _amuse bouche_?"

"Well, I was thinking we could start off with utilizing the black truffles. Why not an _à la croquet au sel -_ it's a slice of sourdough lightly toasted with truffle butter and thinly sliced truffles."

"Okay, but that sounds purely French, nothing hybrid about it. So instead of truffle butter, why not mix a little sesame oil and julienned truffles instead? Sesame oil is light with a twinge of nuttiness that could pair well with the rich, sort of earthy, taste of the truffle. We could mix the butter and the sesame oil together since its taste is not distinct enough to overpower the natural earthiness of the truffle or richness of the butter. We'll add some green onions for color, after all, it will only enhance the flavor of the truffle."

"Yep and that's why you're the genius! I never would've thought of that," She laughed.

"You bet your ass I am!" He smiled before his face took a more stoic appearance. "Anyways, for an appetizer I was thinking a shredded green onion, watercress, and baby lettuce salad - it'll be a twist on _pajeori -_ the Korean barbeque staple salad. Also, what sauces do you have in mind?

"Well, let's see, I want to incorporate a little French to it, so... How about we use a vinegar and oil based dressing?"

"You mean a vinaigrette?"

"Well, not just any traditional vinaigrette, that might -"

"Offset the balance of flavors, leaving it bland. I got ya!'" He finished her sentence.

"Yeah... So, then let's add some of that famous Korean spiciness to the dressing! Herbs and spices are more soluble in oil, therefore we can add some _Gochugaru_ , you know, those Korean chile flakes to the sesame oil before whisking in the vinegar. The chili will infuse into the nuttiness of the oil giving it a more spicy depth, perfect to dress the freshness of the greens without being overtly cloying."

"Alright, alright. I like where this is going. Now we'll have to have a main dish that's the perfect equilibrium between both French and Korean since the amuse bouche is more French, while the appetizer leans more on the Korean side," he replied while busily preparing the sample dishes together.

He brought a fork to her mouth and said," Taste this!"

She chewed the mix of greens slowly, savoring it, while trying to decipher the different flavors. "So I'm guessing you altered the salad by adding some toasted sesame seeds and sweet peppers... It tastes marvelous!"

"Yeah, it's one thing to put down recipes on paper, but another to actually make the dishes altogether. In theory, what we brainstormed was great, but in actual preparation, it was a bit lacking texture-wise and so on."

He went back to experimenting with the plethora of bowls of spices and vegetables, mixing different flavors together and tasting them, and even offering some to Ryoko to try. Soma continued to play with different elements for each of the courses while Ryoko was later given the duty to concoct different sauces to plate in his main dish, the surf and turf. Again, they worked in symbiosis, relying on one another for criticism and encouragement as they both strived to create the perfect tasting menu for _Restaurant Yukihira's_ new angle.

"Soma-kun?" Ryoko queried as she set her wooden spoon down and let her sauce simmer. "What was your position back in _The French Laundry?"_

"Well, I was Chef _Keller's_ sous chef," he said quietly and she could hear the twinge of nostalgia his voice bore.

"Why'd you leave?"

"Well, I think for one, it might've been complacency. That kitchen was tough, sure, tougher than Totsuki even, and I did learn so much from my tenure there. But, it wasn't like anything compared to working with my old man, cooking with dad is something else. I guess you could say that I was tired of working as the second-hand man, I wanted to be my own chef. So, y'know, I left the restaurant and traveled abroad in California - got a taste of the underground food scene in both Los Angeles and San Francisco, learned new cultures, and saw a glimpse of illegal restaurants and the like. You could say California was my foundation and then I later traveled the world and discovered so much more."

"Knowing you, I'm surprised you didn't garner a reputation around the world... Wait, no, come to think of it, a few colleagues of mine mentioned you once, said you were a budding new chef who took a sort of apprenticeship under _The French Laundry_ and later built your reputation from the ground up. And even Sophie said that your name sounded familiar. I know I was never in the loop, but it's safe to say that even the institutions at France are familiar with the disciples of French-American contemporary cuisine. But still, how did you just...?"

"Drop off the face of the culinary world and end up back here in Yukihira?" He finished knowingly.

"Yeah, you already built a reputation within the U.S., I can't imagine how much greater it got when you traveled around Vietnam, China, and even Thailand."

"Well, y'know, shit happens," he shrugged.

"Uh huh..." Ryoko was unconvinced.

"I guess you could say I got a bit recognition, but other than that, nothing else came of it, not enough to keep me roped into those snooty institutions and the reputations of the people that came with them - even the ones around Asia. I think the idea of cooking in a smaller scale seemed more appealing for my taste."

"Is that why you came back?"

"Yeah and also due to the fact that opening Yukihira under new management was kinda the goal ever since I enrolled to Totsuki."

"Oh, yeah... Now I remember. You always did mention the restaurant every time you challenged other students to shokugekis! How could I have forgotten?"

"Yeah, and now that I've managed to pave Yukihira's name as a legend within Sumire town, I want to make it better! I want to keep innovating just like you said, Ryoko-chan!"

"Yeah, we'll definitely do it," she replied with a reassuring smile. _Together_.

Tomorrow was a big day, a day in which they would showcase a fresh, new take on Yukihira-style cuisine.

* * *

 **Author's Note:** I seriously wrote this chapter on a whim(I tend to write haphazardly and there are just different periods of time when ideas simply pop into my mind), so very little editing went into it. Hope you guys aren't too bothered with the extra heap of culinary terms I've thrown in there - I tried to incorporate various explanations with the terms because I vaguely remember reading a review saying that some of my writing teaches them! That made me smile.

I'd LOVE to hear feedback, so please, feel free to drop a little review down below, it would be greatly appreciated. Until next time.


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